London contributes zero-carbon buildings for Expo

an artist's rendition of the carbon-neutral buildings

an artist's rendition of the carbon-neutral buildings

The City of London is building two carbon-neutral buildings as its contribution for the Shanghai World Expo's Urban Best Practices Area.

The buildings will house a lecture hall, a restaurant, an exhibition hall and six model rooms.

Six designers will create six different styles for the rooms, which will have environmentally friendly furniture and decoration.

The inspiration for London's UBPA Pavilion came from the Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZED), an environmentally friendly housing development near Wallington, in the London Borough of Sutton.

an artist's rendition of the interior of the carbon-neutral buildings

BedZED community

BedZED encourages public transport, cycling and walking, and discourages cars with limited parking.

The buildings will use the technology and methods used in BedZED with adjustments for Shanghai's climate.

The London Pavilion will be situated north of Shanghai's UBPA case on the Puxi side of the Expo site.

Construction started in May.

Expo boulevard horns completed

The six horn-shaped "Sunny Valley" structures that line the 600-meter boulevard that will act as the main entrance to the World Expo 2010 site have been completed.

The 40-meter-high horns will disperse sunshine into the below-ground walkway linking the Metro station and the Expo site and will collect rainfall for watering and cleaning.

More than 50 percent of the 70 million expected visitors will enter the Expo site from the boulevard.

INBAR signs Expo contract

The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) will display its efforts in poverty alleviation and sustainable development at the 2010 World Expo.

The China-based organization has signed its participation contract with the organizer to exhibit in a joint pavilion for international organizations under the theme "Bamboo and rattan, human settlements, environment."

It will also showcase its practice in boosting the development of the bamboo and rattan industries and environmental protection.

A total of 40 international organizations have signed contracts so far.

INBAR is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to improving the social, economic, and environmental benefits of bamboo and rattan. INBAR connects a global network of partners from the government, private and not-for-profit sectors in over 50 countries to define and implement a global agenda for sustainable development through bamboo and rattan.